Last farewell to Bracken and Bramble

Bracknell's four-legged legends Bracken and Bramble will bid farewell to their fans tomorrow during their last public engagement.

The two shire horses are being sent to a sanctuary for a well-deserved retirement after 16 years of hard work serving the borough.

People will get one last chance to see the gentle giants in action from 11am during a series of rides around Bracknell town centre before the pair heads to the Redwings Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk.

Throughout the summer, Bracken and Bramble have been on a farewell tour, which has in-cluded appearing at the Heavy Horse Show in Portsmouth, taking the borough's Britain in Bloom judges on a promenade around Lily Hill Park and attended scores of school and village fetes.

During their 16 years of service, Bracken and Bramble have been employed mainly in the coun-cil's landscaping department and their work has included helping water the town's water dis-plays, collecting waste and pulling grass-cutting equipment.

Bosses at the council have said they have no plans to replace them with another pair of shire horses at this time because of the planned revamp of the town centre.

Bracken and Bramble are expecting to spend the next two months settling into their new life at Redwings but bosses at the sanctuary are working on plans to move them to their Great Yar-mouth's visitor centre where they would have a chance to keep up their relationship with the public while keeping "gently" active.

Nicola Markwell, Communications Manager for Redwings, said: "We know how special these two beautiful Shires are to the people of Bracknell Forest and it can’t be easy to see them leave.

"However, we are delighted to be able to give them the super retirement they both deserve here at Redwings in the lovely Norfolk countryside.”

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection, said: "Generations of Bracknell Forest residents will remember Bracken and Bramble for giving rides to our children at school fetes, and tending to our floral displays; they have served us well and deserve their retirement, nonetheless it is very sad to say goodbye.

”They have become icons of Bracknell Forest, but I’m sure they will enjoy their well-earned re-tirement at the superb Redwings sanctuary.”

- Do you think the council should replace Bracken and Bramble? If yes, with what? Another pair of shire horses? By resurrecting Colin the Stag? Or by bringing in a new animal that would represent Bracknell.